Stock Buybacks Have Increased
As Share Prices Rapidly Decline

NEW YORK -- Corporate stock-buyback announcements have increased in recent weeks as the U.S. equities markets plunged to their Sept. 21 lows.

In the second quarter, U.S. companies announced plans to repurchase $24 billion of their own stock, up slightly from the first quarter, which experienced $23 billion in buyback announcements, said Richard...